Auto Bild Allrad tests SUV tyres – not all are recommended

Published by Stephen Goodchild

5th March 2019

Think there’s no such thing as a bad tyre these days – think again. Auto Bild Allrad evaluated ten SUV tyres but can only recommend eight – and it’d prefer us to avoid one altogether. The upshot is that it still pays to do your homework when buying replacement tyres.

Auto Bild Allrad is a consumer-oriented SUV and 4×4 magazine from Germany. Its tyre test for summer 2019 examines the compact SUV size 225/55 R17. Testing was carried out using a BMW X1 on sealed surfaces and a pick-up was employed for off-road testing.

Six tyres gain top ‘exemplary’ rating

The best overall performer of the ten was a Goodyear tyre. Auto Bild praised the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 for its “sporty-dynamic handling, precise steering response and the shortest wet and dry braking distances.”

Three tyres shared second place: The Continental PremiumContact 6, Hankook Ventus Prime³ and Nokian Powerproof. Minor irritations, including noise (Nokian) or insufficient traction on mud and stony ground (Continental) were the only complaints levelled against the trio.

Next came the Maxxis Premitra 5 in fifth place. The testers liked what they found; the only drawback observed was “modest traction on wet grass and sandy subsoil.”

The final ‘exemplary’ tyre was the Bridgestone Turanza T005. Auto Bild Allrad considered it well-balanced, albeit with “modest traction on grass.”

Two tyres were rated ‘good’

The Toyo Proxes Sport actually finished the test in sixth place, equal with the Turanza T005. Nevertheless, it missed out on an exemplary rating due to “extended braking distance on wet surfaces.” Auto Bild Allrad also reports less than optimal steering precision in the wet. On the upside, the Toyo tyre delivered “precise handling on gravel and high aquaplaning safety.”

Wet braking was also an issue for the Nexen N’Fera RU1 SUV, and its rolling resistance – and therefore fuel consumption – result wasn’t great. That said, the Nexen tyre offered “good driving qualities on wet and dry surfaces” as well as “high traction on sand/shingle.”

Partial recommendations – and worse

The Cooper Zeon CS8 had to make do with a ‘conditionally recommended’ rating. Although good off-road, it lost points for “limited lateral control and delayed steering response in the wet.” More importantly, it was marked down for a “significantly extended wet braking distance.”

Now to last place and the CST Medallion MD-01, a product that Auto Bild Allrad calls a “budget tyre from the Far East.” Although from the same manufacturer as the Maxxis Premitra 5, its performance was hardly exemplary. Instead, Auto Bild Allrad declared the CST tyre ‘not recommended’. Stated shortcomings include “considerable” weaknesses in the wet, including understeering wet and dry handling. It also gave a “dangerously extended wet braking distance.” The testers mentioned no strengths for the CST Medallion MD-01.